The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2015, and October 31, 2016 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2016 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on November 3, 2016, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

Worrywart Stuart is back and he has something to worry about in this excellent sequel to Stuart’s Cape (2002). It’s his first day of school and there is no end to his worries: Will the kids make fun of his clothes? What if he’s the shortest kid? What if he gets stuck in the bathroom? And, the worst, where did his mother find the “plaid hurt-your-eyes pants and cowboy shirt”? Luckily for our hero, he still has his magic handmade cape, made of stapled neckties. Though he still can’t quite control the magic, it does provide him with plenty of adventures. Stuart’s cape has a mind of its own and readers will gasp with sympathetic embarrassment when Stuart’s pants and shirt disappear, he’s surprised to find himself in the teachers’ room, and his pencil manages to create reality in its own hilarious way. Never does Pennypacker underestimate her readers and Matje’s naïve cartoon illustrations capture Stuart’s youthful angst to a tee. Precocious readers looking for clever and unusual situations will not be disappointed. Hilarious and clever. (Fiction. 6-9)

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